Gin & It
Early on in The Third Letter, we find Clara and her best friend Reenie enjoying Gin & Its at a dance.
“She took another gulp of the Gin & It, the vermouth’s sweetness catching in her throat. She glanced at Bobbie, but he was focused on Reenie once more.
The silence dragged on. Clara raised her glass to her lips once more. Another sip. She needed to slow down; the drink was slipping down too easily. She’d be half cut in next to no time if she carried on like this.”
The Gin & It was a popular tipple in Britain in the 1930s and 1940s, although back then it wasn’t so much a cocktail as an easy drink a pub landlord could make for female punters.
Gin & It
Its name stems from its two main ingredients: gin and Italian sweet vermouth (the “It” in the name).
There is little more to this bittersweet cocktail than those two, unless you want to add a dash of bitters and a garnish.
The recipe is simplicity itself.
35ml London Dry Gin
25ml Rosso sweet vermouth
A dash of Angostura Bitters (optional)
Maraschino cherries or orange zest as a garnish (optional)
Pour the vermouth into a cocktail glass. Add the gin. Splash in a drop or two of Angostura Bitters if you’d like. Garnish with maraschino cherries or orange zest. And that’s it!
